Automobile theft-alarm system



Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,434 H. C. HAY

AUTOMOBILE THEFT ALARM SYSTEM Filed April 21, 1926. 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 INVENTOR. 555 52 rfy 5 3] ATTORNEY:

Oct. 30, 1928.

H. C. HAY

AUTOMOBILE THEFT ALARM SYSTEM Filed April. 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT" oFFicE.

HARRY C. HAY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE CRIM, WADSWORTH & THIEL AUTO THEFT ALARM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE THEFT-ALARM SYSTEM.

Application filed April 21,

My invention relates to automobile locking devices and particularly to a novel system of locking automobiles which will combine with the locking device on an automobile an alarm system which will cause the apprehension of any unauthorized person who attempts to move the car.

It is the object of my invention to provide a lock which will control the ignition or some other essential operating part of the engine mechanism which when moved to inhibitive position will release an alarm which will vibrate with the movement of the car and cause anyone attempting to move the car to be apprehended. V

In the particular embodiment of my system which will be hereinafter described, I

' will disclose a specific combination consisting of an ignition lock of the spring barrel type, which is connected with an alarm bell so that when the lock is locked, the bell will ring with the slightest vibration of the car such as would be required to drive or tow it away.

Referring to the drawings;

. Figure 1 is a front elevation ofthe preferred type of barrel lock employed.

Figure 2 is aside elevation of the barrel lock shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a ret aining member which will be found convenient for mounting the particular bell gong illustrated.

Figure 4: is an end elevation of the barrel housing.

Figure 5 is a sectional View of the housing shown in Figure 4 taken along the lines 5-5 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the alarm gong and its supporting mechanism.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the preferred type of safety screws for mounting the housing in the dash board of an automobile.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the preferred type of bell.

Figure 10 is a sectional View of the bell shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the preferred type of ignition switch which is inhibited by the lock.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the igni tion switch shown in Figure 11 Figure 13 is a perspective View of a pre' safety screw 1926. Serial No. 103,622.

ferred type of theft proof housing within which the alarm bell may be mounted.

Figure 14 is a sectional. view of the assenr bly of the parts indicated in Figures 113.

Figure 15 is a sectional View of a modified type ofalarm in which the housing indicated in Figures 13 and 14 is eliminated, and one member serves both as a protective housing and an alarm member.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a moditied type of alarm.

I have shown a bell gong consisting of a clapper 1 mounted on a resilient arm 2. The clapper may have a tapered hole extending through it and a tapered wedge 3 having a slot therein may be utilized as a convenient mounting for the clapper on the arm. A housing 1 which may be of cylindrical type with an annular flange with which it may be secured to the dash board of an automobile, retains a sliding barrel lock 5. The lock has two lugs extending from its outer periphery; the lug 6 which retains the barrel in a slot 7 in the housing 4, and the extended lug 8 which moves longitudinally within the housing in the slot 9, and connects with the ignition switch. The lug 8 is adapted to engage a sliding or hinged element 10 which, in inwardly extended position bears against a contact plate 11, which is normally in c0ntact with a plate 12. Preferably the plates are resiliently held together by av spring arm 12 which may be mounted on the switch with an end bearing against the plate 11. A contact post 18, is mounted in position to connect with the plate 12 and another contact post connects with the plate 11. By breaking the ignition circuit and connecting one of the ends of the broken wire to the post 13 and the other end to the post 14, the plates 11 and 12 may act to break the circuit. When the member 10 bears against the plate 11, it therefore breaks the circuit.

The preferred type ofalarm gong consists I of a bronze bell casing 15 within which the clapper oscillates when the clapper is released by the locking of the car. The bell casing may have a flanged inner end 16, having holes 17 with which it may be secured through the dash board of the car. A simple mounting for the bell casing is by meansof screws which are threaded through the holes 17, and also through the holes 18 in the lock housing. The preferred type of screw is indicated at 19 and consists of the ordinary slotted head with the slots beveled oil? with spirally beveled portions so that the end of a screw with.- drawing instrument will have no flanged portion on which to get a bite for unscrewing the screws. In securing the screws in place, the screw driver end will have the usual flange to bear against. The dashboard of the car is indicated at 20, and as noted my preferred method of assembly with the lock casing flange on one side and the bell casing flange on the other side of the dash with non-return screws securing them together, provides a practically theft proof rigidly mounted assembly.

The ignition control lock and alarm are preferably mounted up underneath the dash close to the cowl 21 and between the dash and the dividing board 22 which separates the drivers compartment from the engine depart ment.

In order to secure the lock and the alarm against tampering by a thief, I preferably provide a casing 23, having an inner casing 24 within which the alarm is disposed. The casings may have flanges 25 for mounting on the cowl, and holes 26, which allow the sound to pass, are disposed in the casings, out of registry so that it will not be possible for a thief to extend a tool or implement up through the casing and jam the clapper of the alarm so that it will not work.

Connecting the barrel lock with the flexible arm 2 of the clapper is an extended hook 28, which may be engaged in a hole in the end of the arm 2. A spring 9, which may be retained in the cylindrical walls of the bell casing, bears against the barrel of the lock and springs it outwardly when the key turns the catches with which the locked barrel is retained in the housing. I have not described the spring barrel lock as it is of the usual type such as is provided in many cars which preferably locks with the inward compression of the barrel and must be released by the use of the key.

The additional casing 23 may be dispensed with by extending a bronze plate such as is indicated in Figure 15, at 15 clear across the base of the cowl. The clapper by oscillating up and down on the plate. 15 will sound the alarm. Although this is not a preferred type of alarm gong, its use may be contemplated in order to avoid the necessity of an additional thief-proof casing about the bell. Another type of gong which will be found valuable because of its unusual ringing tones is indicated at15 in Figure 16. By having the metal in the arms of this gong of different pitch, a combination of discordant of unusual notes may be sounded.

The operation of the alarm system will be readily understood when it is considered that the wiring circuit to the engine is connected with the switch so that in order to stop the engine by shutting off the ignition, the lock must be locked. When the barrel of the cylinder lock is pushed inwardly, it moves the clapper away from contact with the walls of the bell casing so that it will resound with the slightest vibration such as would be re quired to move the car. If the construction illustrated in Figure 15 is employed, a flange 23 may be secured to the automobile cowl so that in open position of the lock barrel, the clapper will be held against the tapered part 22 of the resonant plate and the end of the flange Modifications in structure will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the principal involved in my alarm system, but in so far as their departure from my specific disclosure is within the realms of mechanical equivalency, I consider such modification within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an ignition locking system, means to lock the ignition in off position, and a bell casing connected. with said locking system, said connection consisting of a clapper movable to a freely vibratory position in which exterior vibration will induce its vibration within said bell casing with the locking of the ignition.

2. A theft alarm for automobiles comprising a sound resonant member having a clapper adapted to resound against said member, said clapper movable to a fixed position and to a freely oscillatable position, locking means necessary to the stoppage of the engine connected with said clapper, said means so constructed as to move the clapper to freely oscillatable position, with the stoppage of the engine.

3. A theft alarm system for an automobile comprising the combination with an element necessary to stop the engine of a lock for looking said element in stopped position, a bell assembly having an oscillating and a nonoscillating position having a connection with said locking means, said connection providing means to control whether said bell will be in oscillating or non-oscillating position dependent on the position of said lock. 7

l. In combination in an automobile an ignition lock adapted to stop the operation of the engine, and an alarm comprising a bell with a movably mounted clapper which in one position is adapted to vibrate with movement of the automobile to strike walls of the bell, said clapper having a non-oscillating position and said lock connected with said movably mounted clapper so as to move said clapper to a non-oscillating position with the unlocking of said lock and to oscillating position with the locking of said lock.

5. A theft alarm system for an automobile which consists in a movable spring barrel lock,

lflO

an ignition switchand an alarm, with the movable spring barrel lock adapted to be moved to a circuit breaking position of said switch, and the alarm connected with the movable spring barrel lock, whereby movement of the lock to circuit breaking position will set the alarm in a position in which it will vibrate with movement of the automobile, said alarm comprising a bell assembly having a vibrating and a non-vibrating position, and means connecting the lock and bell assembly for setting the bell in Vibrating or non-vibrating position depending on the position of said lock.

6, A theft alarm system for an automobile which consists in a movable spring barrel lock, an ignition switch and an alarm, with the movable spring barrel lock adapted to be moved to a circuit breaking position of said switch, and the alarm connected with themovable spring barrel lock, whereby movement of the lock to locking position will move the alarm to a-position in which it will vibrate with movement of the automobile, said alarm comprising a bell, with a clapper within the bell, said clapper adapted to be moved by the locking and unlocking of said lock to positions of oscillating and non-oscillating engagement respectively with the walls of the bell.

HARRY G. HAY. 

